ANTaR NSW policy position in response to the NSW Government’s
Aboriginal Education reforms
ANTaR NSW is a non-government advocacy organisation dedicated specifically
to the rights - and overcoming the disadvantage - of Aboriginal peoples in NSW.
ANTaR NSW is committed to working in partnership with peak Aboriginal
organisations and the NSW Government to achieve positive reforms to Aboriginal
education in NSW.
International context
Article 14 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
states that:
1. Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their
educational systems and institutions providing education in their own
languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching
and learning.
2. Indigenous individuals, particularly children, have the right to all levels and
forms of education of the State without discrimination.
3. States shall, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, take effective
measures, in order for indigenous individuals, particularly children,
including those living outside their communities, to have access, when
possible, to an education in their own culture and provided in their own
language.
ANTaR NSW supports practical measures taken by governments that seek to
implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,
and particularly Article 14 of the Declaration. These include mechanisms to
support Aboriginal peoples’ rights to education, including access to education
and developing education systems that are consistent with Aboriginal people’s
cultural methods of teaching and learning.
School Education
The NSW Government is promoting its future directions for Aboriginal education
set out in its OCHRE plan for Aboriginal Affairs.
(See aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government-aboriginal-affairs-strategy)
In nominated communities and schools with a significant Aboriginal population,
the initiatives will work towards transitions to further education and employment,
an emphasis on teaching Aboriginal Culture and languages at school with the
involvement of Elders, greater involvement of the Aboriginal community in school
decision making.
ANTaR NSW welcomes the initiatives.
However, the report does not address the needs of Aboriginal students in parts of
NSW without a majority or a "significant" threshold minority Aboriginal
population.
Most Aboriginal children in NSW attend schools which will not benefit from the
Government’s Aboriginal education initiatives. About 90% of Aboriginal students
attend public schools, but high concentrations of Aboriginal students are in a
minority of these schools. This means most public schools and nearly all nongovernment schools will not be supported by these initiatives. Many Aboriginal
students are in relatively small numbers at schools across NSW.
ANTaR is concerned that these Aboriginal students are particularly vulnerable to
some of the consequences of the Government’s education budget reductions
and moves towards giving principals discretion over global budgets.
Aboriginal students are over represented among students requiring specialist
assistance from special needs teachers, Aboriginal Education Officers and
Assistants, Home School Liaison officers, teachers’ aides and school
counsellors. Schools are already inadequately resourced to support these
students. The program of identifying and assisting these students should be
expanded not contracted.
ANTaR welcomes the NSW Government’s commitment to the Gonski reforms to
school funding and the identified allocations which will be made to schools
according to numbers of disadvantaged students enrolled. We have sought an
assurance that the allocations for Aboriginal students will be quarantined under
the global budget and discretion not be granted to principals to spend these
funds inconsistently with the advice of the Aboriginal students and their
Aboriginal community. (See education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/review-offunding-for-schooling-final-report).
It is apparent that Aboriginal students will be among the hardest hit after the
federal government’s 2014 budget announcement it will not provide funding the
bulk of the Gonski reforms. Literacy programs and remedial support are among
measures expected to be dropped.
ANTaR also notes the recent report of the Social Issues Committee of the NSW
Legislative Council expressing disappointment with action to reverse an alarming
literacy gap between Aboriginal and other students, despite a performance audit
in 2012. That audit found about half of Aboriginal children in year 5 were at or
below minimum reading standards.
The current state plan, (NSW 2021) target of halving the gap in reading levels
between Aboriginal and other students by 2018 appears in doubt.
TAFE Pathways and Availability
Access to TAFE courses has long been recognised as an important pathway for
young Aboriginal people to complete secondary schooling or to transition from
school to work. The Close the Gap campaign advocates more high level
qualifications for Aboriginal Peoples.
ANTaR is concerned about the reduction in TAFE courses available (especially
in non-metropolitan areas), the impact of increased fees and charges, more
limited fee exemptions and the commercial imperative on TAFE institutes to give
priority to offering profitable courses.
We have heard concerns expressed that, for example:
- the majority of diploma courses will now only be offered commercially with high
fees and charges for full cost recovery.
- exemptions for Aboriginal people under Smart and Skilled may no longer apply
after the first entitlement
- subsidised courses such as the Diploma of Aboriginal Studies have been
phased out in favour of a similar commercial course requiring much higher fees
and charges and probably student debt under the so-called “Fee Help”. This will
prevent many or most Aboriginal students from enrolling.
- OTEN Aboriginal Studies courses which gave advanced standing at some
universities have been discontinued or fully commercialised with high fees and
charges, thus reducing the number of potential high level success stories of
students as have previously occurred, eg one progression to a qualified doctor of
medicine.
- On-line learning and resources are beyond the reach of Aboriginal students on
Centrelink payments as they mostly don’t have ready access to computers.
- Funding cuts have prevented the preparation of some on-line units.
TAFE availability in Juvenile Justice
Employment prospects could be increased and recidivism rates decreased for
Aboriginal prisoners in Juvenile Justice with increased per capita funding for and
availability of TAFE courses in Dispute/Conflict Resolution, Literacy, Numeracy,
Drug Education and certificates in eg First Aid, Work Health and Safety,
Bricklaying, Concreting, Welding, Computer Studies etc.
We understand there are no longer allocated funds to TAFE institutes tied to
delivery in Juvenile Justice Centres.
TAFE face-to-face programs should be funded for Juvenile Justice Centres in
subjects such as:
- Building and Construction, Automotive Mechanics, Brick and Block Laying,
Forklift
- Hospitality Food and Beverage
- Horticulture, Rural Studies, Primary Industries, Organic Market Gardening,
Plant Propagation, Conservation and Landcare
- Upholstery Trade, Laundry Operations, Bakery
- Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Practices
- Information Technology
- Health and Fitness, Outdoor Recreation
- Safety checking of electrical appliances, WH&S Green Card and White Card,
Workplace Hygiene, Life Skills.
And for TAFE distance learning programs such as:
- Certificate I in Access to work and training
- Year 10 Certificate
- Higher School Certificate
- Computer and IT Skills
- Business Certificate
- Responsible Service of Alcohol Certificate.
Teacher Training and Education and Curriculum requirements of the Board
of Studies, Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority and
Universities
Appropriate Aboriginal Cultural Education Curriculum requirements and quality
teaching are key contributors to school retention and completion for Aboriginal
students.
Teachers need to be confident, well informed and equipped in Aboriginal Cultural
awareness education. Also, school curricula and VET courses need mandatory
Aboriginal Education components. Yet we understand that Aboriginal Education
is not mandatory and gets minimal if any attention in NSW school curricula,
TAFE teacher training and school teacher education courses.
ANTaR supports the recommendation of the 2008 NSW Parliamentary
Committee report on Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage that extensive and
intensive in-service Aboriginal Cultural Education should be given to teachers so
that they meet the standards required to effectively understand and teach
Aboriginal students.